


The Other Man

by LeftyVoyager



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-11
Updated: 2015-04-11
Packaged: 2018-03-22 07:45:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3720823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeftyVoyager/pseuds/LeftyVoyager
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This was my entry for VAMB's Guess the Pairing Vanilla.  Any kind of summary would give it away, so this is it!</p><p>You can guess the pairing and the characters.  Make sure everyone gets to have some fun and don't post answers in comments.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Other Man

The Other Man

"Thank you for ruining my life!" she exclaimed as she slumped into her chair, fuming. She couldn't help but feel trapped. She was held to her commitment while the one she truly wanted was free to be with anyone one on the ship he wanted. She feared that day had finally come, and her moment had long past. 

As much as she stormed and raged, her partner remained silent, always present, but never offering any comfort or help. Always safe, but never fulfilling. She placed her hand on the symbol of her obligation, feeling how it seemed to bite into her skin. Very seldom was she seen anymore without it. 

"Forget about him," he seemed to whisper. "We have more important things to do. Bigger and better. You will see when we get home." 

"How long?" she asked. "How long should I put my life on hold for you?" 

"As long as it takes." 

She sighed. "I don't know if I can do this anymore." 

But no matter how much she complained or fought back, the hardships always came, and he was always by her side, even as those she thought she had wanted had come and gone. She had started to think that perhaps this was how things were meant to be. Eventually, she gave up hopes of any other close friendships. She poured herself into her work, and very few seemed to even notice anymore. 

Her love must be pleased, she thought. He required her undivided attention. He promised something no one else could. The promise that with enough strength, hope and hard work, all of her wishes would be granted. It was too hard of a pull to resist, so she clung to him like a lifeline. 

The door to her office chimed. "I'm very busy," she called out. 

"Please, may I enter? We need to talk." Great, she thought. The other man. 

She dropped her head into her hands, trying to ease her headache by rubbing her temples. "Fine, come in." 

He walked in the door and took in her appearance. "You need to face this," he said. 

"No thanks - I'd rather not," she answered. "I don't have time for this." 

He glared at her. "That's the issue. You will never make time for me. But you won't allow me to have time with anyone else. You can't have it both ways." 

"You know I won't stop you. I can't stop you. I'm not able to act on my feelings," she said. 

"So you admit you have feelings," he countered. 

She stood up and walked to the window. "I'm too tired for this conversation. Please just leave." 

"You know I didn't want this to happen this way. I would like to at least be your friend. But you're avoiding me. Pushing me away like you always do." 

She called him by his rank and demanded he leave at once. He reluctantly agreed. 

After a few minutes and some tears, she balled her hands into fists and called out, "Look what you've done to me now!"

The End


End file.
